Insulator bracket



1511.22, 194-6. I BQ-ALLISQNQ I Z 2,393,226

" INSULATOR BRACKET Filed July 20, 1944 INVENTOR Dfixwsz. 5. 444/50 jga ATTORNEYS."

Patented J an. 22, 1946 I UNITED TATE ATENT- FFwF-I 1- q j 2,393,226 INSULATOR RACK T I Daniel B. Allison, Wauwatosa, Wis

Application July 20, 1944,.s erie'1 No. 545,849

screens. ,(c1. zip-so) This invention relates to improvements in insulator brackets of the type used to carry a tubular gaseous discharging lamp.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a simple, novel and compact bracket. The bracketm'ost widely used to carry the glass insulators which support tubular lamps is objectionable because of its appearance and lack of compactness. However, numerous attempts to devise more compact clips or brackets have not met with commercial success because of the fact that the usual compact clip does not hold the glass insulating rod suificiently tight, ordinarily having only line contact therewith. The present invention seeks to provide a one-piece inexpensive and compact clip which will be neat and symmetrical in appearance and, at the same time, will engage the insulator with exceptional firmness to provide an absolutely secure support for the lamp.

More specifically, I propose to provide in one bracket a plurality of holding devices so correlated as to their position and function that they act in opposition to each other, the holding effect of one augmenting the holding effect of each of the others. In the simplest form of the invention, two such holding devices are incorporated in a single bracket, with their reaction pressures equal and opposite.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view in perspective showing my improved bracket in use in the support of an insulating rod, a gaseous discharge tube being fragmentarily illustrated in position on the insulator.

Figure 2 is a detail view in perspective of the bracket.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the bracket is formed.

Like parts are designated With the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The bracket comprises a base portion 4 which may be slotted or apertured in any desired manner, as at 5, to receive screws or bolts by which the bracket may be attached to the base of the side. The portion 6 which, in the completed bracket, constitutes a semi-tubular upright is integral with the base 4 and connected therewith by a neck portion 7 defined by the lateral notches at 8. Immediately adjacent one of the notches 8 in the blank, shown in Figure 3, is an elongated and peripherally tapered arm 9 projecting laterally from the standard 6. A similar elongated and peripherally tapered arm at l projects from the opposite margin at the top of the standard 6.

- To completethe bracket from the blankshown in Fig. 3, the standard portion 6 is bent upwardly at theneck 1' and shaped to semi-tubular for'm, as'shown'in Figs; 2 and 3.

The arms 9 and I0 continue-the arc which the se'm'i tubular standard- 6 has in cross-section, the

respective arms lapping each other. The arms project in opposite directions from the tubular standard 6 and the completed bracket provides a socket in the form of a split tube having a slot which, at H, commences at the top and one side of the standard 6, extending thence axially downwardly for something less than half the height of the standard, thence inclined at [2 helically about the socket and thence extending axially at l3 to the bottom of the socket. The axially ex tending portions I l and I3 of the slot are substantially diametrically opposite each other, and the same is true of the free end portions 14 and it of the respective arms l0 and 9. r The bracket is preferably made of resilient stock which has an inherent bias opposing any force tending to open the ends I4, l5, of the respective arms to expand the socket.

The resulting socket is slightly smaller in crosssection than the conventional glass insulating post It to which the conventional lamp tube [1 is Wired. Thus, whenthe glass post is pressed into the socket, the arms l4 and I5 are flexed against their inherent bias. It is particularly to be noted that the flexing occurs in opposite directions, due to the fact that the arms project in opposite directions from their respective points of connection with the standard portion 6 of the bracket. Thus, whereas the resulting socket would be relatively weak, if the tips of the respective arms were in corresponding positions, the actual result of the arrangement shown is such that the flexible tip of each arm resiliently urges the insulator i6 toward its own solid connection with the standard, and the pressure exerted by the two arm tips s equal and opposite, each enhancing the holding value of the other. The resilience of the arms is enhanced by their length, thus making it possible to use stronger stock. The finished bracket receives the insulating post as readily as does any other bracket for the purpose, but resists accidental displacement of the post much more effectively than any other bracket known to me. At the same time, it is simple and compact, in accordance with the objectives of the invention.

I claim:

1. A bracket blank comprising unitarily a piece of sheet stock having a, base portion, a

juncture of the respective arms with the standard portion.

2. A bracket comprising mounting means, a I

socket supported on the mounting means and having the form of a split tube with a segmental standard portion of arcuate section substantially continuous longitudinally of the tube at oneside thereof, and lapping resilient arm portions respectively connected with said standard portion at opposite sides thereof and .at longitudinally offset points, said arms portionsprojectingioppositely and arcuately from the standard portion about the socket and having tips in proximity to the standard portion, the tips being substantially diametrically opposite each other at longitudinally offset points whereby to provide a slot extending from end to end of the socket, said slot having longitudinally extending portions at opposite sides of the socket and an intervening peripherally extending portion connecting the longitudinally extending portions, the resiiient pressure of the arm tips on a work piece mounted in said socket being exerted in opposite directions and toward relatively fixed portions of the respective arms. 7

' 3. A bracket as set forth in claim 2 wherein said mounting means comprises a base portion substantially at right angles to the standard portion, and a neck integrally connecting the base and standard portions and having margins provided with opposite notches reducing its width as compared with the width of the base portion, the spacing of the respective arm tips from said standard portion being approximately equal to the spacing between adjacent side margins of the arms, whereby the width of the slot in the split tube comprising the socket is approximately uniform fromv end to end thereof.

DANIEL-B. AmsoN. 

